1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to gas separation devices and in particular to an electrode cleaning arrangement for an electrostatic precipitator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art includes a variety of cleaning devices for cleaning the electrodes of electrostatic precipitators. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,570,217 shows a rapping device for an electrostatic precipitator where a free-falling hammer alternately strikes two sides of a triangularly-shaped anvil mounted on the supporting framework of an electrode assembly to produce vibrations for dislodging accumulated particulates from the discharge electrodes of the precipitator. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,427,787 discloses a cleaning arrangement wherein a plurality of free-falling hammers are mounted on a rotating shaft extending across the interior of a precipitator which sequentially rap or vibrate the carriers on beams supporting the ionizing wires provided in that arrangement. Although it is not discussed in the foregoing patents, in large precipitator installations it has generally been necessary to rap the electrodes on a sectionalized basis to insure that each of the electrodes is individually rapped or vibrated. In such installations, a plurality of individually rapped electrode assemblies are arranged in series within the precipitator. While this type of arrangement has been generally satisfactory, it requires an individual rapping system for each of the electrode assemblies. This necessarily adds to the size and complexity of the installation as well as the cost of maintaining the system in the field.